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Norwegian Bliss Cruise Review

Along with its sister ship Norwegian Joy, Norwegian Bliss, is an expanded Breakaway-Plus version of the Breakaway-Class. Although it is a slightly larger vessel, it carries fewer passengers and, like its Breakaway-Class sister ships, it has three main dining rooms and numerous specialty restaurants, some of which offer outdoor dining. You can check restaurant wait times and make reservations on digital screens throughout the ship. Entertainment is a highlight on Norwegian Bliss and includes not only a Cuban dance show, but also a full-fledged Broadway production of Jersey Boys and a lounge featuring a Beatles tribute band.

Outside, you’ll find the largest racetrack at sea where, for a fee, you can take a ride on the two-level competitive track. In the Laser Tag arena, which also charges a fee, you can participate in a stellar space-themed battle. There are also pools, hot tubs, waterslides, and an aqua park for children. Youth and teen clubs are large and offer a wide variety of age-appropriate activities and programs. For adults-only, the Vibe Beach Club offers serenity for a fee.

Norwegian Cruise Line set sail in 1966 with an entirely new concept—regularly scheduled Caribbean cruises from the then-obscure port of Miami. Good food and friendly service combined with value fares established the line as a winner for active adults and families. Innovative and forward-looking, Norwegian has been a cruise-industry leader for decades, and its fleet is as much at home worldwide as in the Caribbean. Several of the line's ships cruise Alaska's Inside Passage, including one of its newest, Norwegian Bliss.

Noted for top-quality entertainment, Norwegian combines action and high-energy activities as well as a variety of dining options in a casual, free-flowing atmosphere. Norwegian's freestyle cruising signaled an end to rigid dining schedules and dress codes. Norwegian ships now offer a host of flexible dining options that allow passengers to eat in the main dining rooms or any of a number of à la carte and specialty restaurants at any time and with whom they please. The ships' accommodations include some of the largest suites at sea, studio cabins for solo travelers, and a private ship-within-a-ship complex called The Haven, a more luxurious area with personalized service.

From a distance, most cruise ships look so similar that it's often difficult to tell them apart, but Norwegian's largest, modern ships stand out with their distinctive use of hull art. Each new ship is distinguished by murals extending from bow to midship.

What You Should Know

Pros

You can make dining reservations on screens throughout the ship

The observation lounge has floor to ceiling windows for good visibility in Alaska ports

Smoking is limited to small areas, but there is a lounge for cigar smokers

Cons

There are charges for some of the entertainment, laser tag, and the racetrack